Nigeria’s national team includes Taiwo Awoniyi after he is called up as a late replacement for injured forward Victor Osimhen for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Multiple Nigerian outlets report that Osimhen is ruled out due to a muscle strain and is recovering, causing him to miss the qualifiers. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirms that Osimhen will not travel for Nigeria’s matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. With Osimhen unavailable, Nigeria’s head coach, Éric Chelle, brings in Awoniyi to strengthen the squad’s attacking options.
While the outlets differ slightly in wording—some describe the change as a “replacement” and others note it is confirmed by the NFF—they all describe the same event: Awoniyi steps into Osimhen’s role for Nigeria’s AFCON qualifying fixtures against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. The reporting consistently frames the decision as injury-related, reflecting Osimhen’s recovery status and the need for an experienced forward option.
